FORT SMITH (KFSM) -- The Fort Smith Board of Directors approved Tuesday (Dec. 18) night to hold a special election for residents to vote on a nine-month one-cent sales tax increase to help complete the U.S. Marshals Museum.
The board voted 6 -1 for the measure, with George Catsavis being the opposing vote.
The Marshals Museum Foundation is proposing the increase to help meet its $50 million fundraising goal. The tax would be a nine-month one-cent sales tax, which would be levied beginning July 1 and would expire permanently March 31, 2020.
Some Fort Smith residents who showed up to the meeting voiced their disapproval of the tax proposal.
"We just had a midterm election that had a record, I mean record turn out," said Karla Goodwin, who is against the proposal. "I think this bill if they wanted it, it should have been on that ballot in November."
Jim Dunn, President of the U.S. Marshals Museum Foundation understands why some residents don't approve of the proposal.
"The question is cost to benefit, and this is one penny for nine months with lasting economic impact for the city of Fort Smith," said Dunn
The special election will be held on March 12, 2019, and paid for by the U.S. Marshals Museum.